Police arrests 23 Tamil youths in Chilaw, Puththa'lam

[TamilNet, Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:33 GMT]Twenty-three Tamil youths including three women were arrested in two separate cordon and search operations conducted the police at Nochchiayagama in Puththa'lam district, and Kochchimaduwa in Chilaw (Chilaapam) district Thursday night. All arrested are being detained in local police stations and are being interrogated by the Terrorist Intelligence Unit, sources said.

Puththa'lam police took thirteen Tamil youths into custody at Nochchiayagama as they failed to prove their identity. They had been employed in several business establishments in the area.

The Chilaw police took into custody 10 more Tamil youths including three women while they were staying in a house at Kochchimaduwa, on receipt of information from local residents.

Police sources said they wanted to find out the reason for their stay in a house located in a Sinhala village.